Intake manifold



Sept. 4, 1928.

H. W. ASIRE INTAKE MANIFOLD 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 21, 1925 Sept 4, 1928; 1,683,281

H. W. ASIRE INTAKE MANIFOLD Filed Jan. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 4, 1928.

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HORACE W. ASIRE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH COR- ?OBATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE,

INTAKE MANIFOLD.

Application filed January 21, 1925. Serial No. 3,822.

This invention relates to intake manifolds quantities of combustible mixture througheach of the several branches to the respective cylinders. It further consists in the combinat1ons, sub-combinations and deta1ls of construction more specifically set forth in the ensuing description, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which l ke reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a manifold embodying this invention attached'to a cylinder block;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section. on the line 22 of Fig. 1, of the central portion of the manifold, the riser and an attached carburetor;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. disclosing a multiplicity of straightener passages in the course of the mixture for preventing turbulence or eddying of the mixture passing to the engine;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 3, showing modified forms of straightener passages; 7

Fig. 6 is a front elevation, partly in section, of another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7- 7 of Fig. 6,

illustrating a preferred construction providing straightener passages.

'A well recognized and ever mcreasmg (litliculty has been encountered 1n startmg internal-combustion en ines of the t e in which charges of liquid fuel and air are formed outsid of the combustion chamber and drawn ir' by the inspiration stroke the pist With typical manifolds -znaerto in 2 this dificulty has increased as the volatility of motor fuels supplied to motorists has decreased, and is markedly noticeable in cold weather. Even after the engine has started, unless quite high; heat is applied to the charge, the engine requires to be run for a considerable period before the charge is fired equally in all cylinders and equal power is delivered by each. The difliculty referred to is primarily due to unequal distribution of fuel to the several cylinders. Substantially equal distribution can be obtained by highly heating the mixture of air and fuel that passes through the manifold, and it is a quite common practice to utilize the heat of the exhaust gases to transfer heat to the air that is mixed with the fuel and also tothe mixture within the carburetion space or within the manifold. Improvement in distribution by application of heat results of course from the conversion of the liquid fuel with the air stream into a gaseous or vaporous aeriform fluid upon which the form of manifold has comparatively little effect in so far as influence on distribution is concerned. But it will be apparent that when the mixture enters the cylinders in highly-heated and expanded condition the volumetric efliciency of the engine is lower than when the mixture enters in a cooler condition. So that preliminary high heating of the charge is an expedient adopted in an attempt to secure good distribution in which volumetric efiiciency is sacrificed. It has long been known that single-cylinder engines of the type ,now under consideration can be started and operated satisfactorily without substantial preliminary heating of the charge. The difficulty of similarly starting and operating multicylindcr engines charged from a single carburetor has been due in some measure to accumulations of liquid fuel in' different quantities on difierent portions of the manifold walls with the result that the inspiration stroke of one piston may draw an excess of fuel to its cylinder while another cylinder may be starved. The unequal deposit of'llquld fuel is thought to' be due, in part at least, to turbulence and irregularities of the currents of air and fuel mixtures in the manifold and riser. The manifold and riser illustrated and described herein have been so planned and constructed as to avoid unequal deposits of liquid at different areas of the manifold and riser.

of a Cylinder block of a multicylinder inter- I nal-combustion engine The engine illustrated is a four-cylinder engine, but it will be understood that the invention is applicable to engines having a different number of B indicates a conductor fora fuel mixture consisting of an intake mani- I vide the passage for. the mixture'into a plurelatively small passageways or cylinders.

fold embodying characteristic features of this invention. C isan exhaust manifold; D a riser connected with the intake manifold B, and E is a conventional illustration ofa standard carburetor. prises 1 the usual constant-level fuel. bowl, having a fuel intake at'f. There is an air intake at a, whereby 'air may be mixed with fuel to produce a combustible. mixture,

1 which flows through the riser into the manifold B. The intake ports in the cylinder block are indicated at i, the exhaust ports by e and the spark plugs by s.

The intake'manifold B has a mixture intake port 10 at the point where the 'riser is connected tothe manifold. Above the port 10 is a' mixture-receiving space 11, over the top of which, directly opposite the ort 10, is' a substantially smoot flat surace 12 within the manifold, which is preferably perpendicular to the axis of the intake port. Branching from the mixturereceivlng space 11, are fourmixtureconduits 13, 14, 15 and 16, shown as rectangular in section. The ports 13, 14., 15 and 16, leading from said mixture-receiving .space'll into the branch conduits are symmetrically disposed around said s ace, the

centers of the ports being in the il ustrated embodiment 90 apart. Conduit 13 leads to the intake port 73 of #1 cylinder; conduit 14 to the intake. port of #2 cylinder; conduit 15 to the intake port of #3 cylinder, and conduit 16 to the intake port of #4 cylinder. Thus, the several branch. conduits are independent of each other and not in communication excepting where they join the common mixture-receiving space 11.-

The riser D is joined to the manifold B so that the passageway through it registers with the port 10. The junction may be effected by any suitable means. In so far as the operationof the riser and manifold is concerned, the riser may be integral with 5 the manifold has a boss 17 on its lower face,

the manifold or separate. As illustrated,

the lower surface of which is ,machined.

Projecting laterally-from the bossbetween' the branches or limbs 13, 14, and 15, 16, of the manifold arey perforated lugs or ears 18. The upper end of riser D is flanged as,

at 20 and'provided with perforations adapted to register with the perforations. in the I cars 18 .to receive the bolts 19, by which the The carburetor comv engine cylinders.

the mixing chamber-of the carburetor and the usual connection to thethrottle may be :provided Whereb the operator may adjust it.

Inthe riser t ere are means that subdi rality o conduits. As illustrated in Fig. 6, there may be one series of small passageways or conduits, but it is preferred that two such series be arranged in tandem or seriesrelation, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The'plural passageways referred to serve as straighten ers for any aer'rform fluid drawn upward through the riser by the operation of the engine pistons. When fuel mixture is drawn by the inspiration of the engine past the thrdttle valve, into the ordinary riser a high degree of turbulence is imparted to the mixture current and this turbulence has the effect of'depositing the liquid fuel drops which are mingled with the air, upon difi'erent parts of the riser and manifold in such a manner that there is no uniformity in the degree or place of deposit of these drops, with the result that there is an unequal distribution of liquid fuel among the several .referred to is eliminated or minimized.

Two groups of straightener tubes shown in Fig. 2 are separated from each other, one group 22 being disposed above the other group 222. In Fig. 6 only one group 223 of straightener tubes or passageways is shown. When two groups are used, as is preferred,'the upper group should be made shorter than the lower as indicated in Fig. 2 and in the space between them there should be an equalizer ring 23. In Fig. 6

an'e ualizer rin 23 is shown as formed in the material of the riser and dis osed ims mediately below the lower en of the straightenen. The equalizer ring, whether it be formed as indicated in Fig. 2 or as indicated'in Fig. 6, should preferabl have a beveled surface 24 on that side of t e equalizer which faces the approaching mixture. Although circumferential distribution of liquid around the passage is effected as well by a ring that is notbeveled, a beveled surface-is preferred because of its effect upon the aeriform current If thering is projected but slightly into the mixture passage the leading edge over which the liquid fuel must flow on its way to the engine cylinder, preferably should be sharp. If made wider the edge may be rounded. The function of the. equalizer ring is to obstruct the flow of By subdividing, in the llll liquid along the Walls of the riser or mixing chamber of the carburetor, as the case may be, and cause it to disseminate around the wall before flowing over theinside corner of the ring and proceeding toward the cyl-' the aeriform current to, the mixture-receiving space.

The small passages of the straightener.

may be of varied cross-section and maybe produced in different ways. The passages 22 may be formed by a bundle of small round-section tubes inserted in the riser as illustrated in Fig. 3. In Fig. 4 the tubes 22 are shown as flattened and grouped in radial positions around acentral space. In Fig. 5 the subdivisions of the strai htener are formed by crimping a sheet 0 metal and then folding it i n such way as to produce a series of square-sectioned passages 22, while as shown in Fig. 7 which illustrates a preferred form, a sheet of metal is crimped, as around circular rods or mandrels, so as to form a sheet having alternately arranged and juxtaposed closed loops. This sheet may then be bent so as to-fit within the riser of the manifold or any other conduit for conducting fuel mixture to multiple-cylinders.

The equipment illustrated and described is intended to effect equal distribution of fuel to a multiplicity of cylinders even where little or no heat is preliminarily applied to the mixture.

In operation, the pumping action of the engine draws air and liquid fuel into the mixture chamber of the carburetor and carries it thence in the form of a fog of air and liquid fuel, or as a current of air with small drops of liquid fuel floating in it, toward the manifold. The turbulence imparted to the current in the mixing chamber is removed by the straighteners so that the mixture is delivered into the receiving space 11 in a straight current free from eddies. Vifhatever heavy drops there may be in the air current impinge upon the fiat surface 12 because of the fact thattheir specific gravity is greater than that of the air. The air and light particles of liquid are of course diverted into that one of the branches of the manifold which is subject to the suction of the engine at the moment. Also the spatter from the surface 1.2 follows the air currents and that which adheres spreads evenly over the flat surface. it any liquid is deposited upon the walls of the riser or mixing chamher, it will creep along said wall until 9 it encounters the equalizer ring. There it will be dammed and if the deposit s on one side the ring will cause it to disseminate C11- cumferentially so that when ultimately it.

way between the entrance ports of cylinders 2 and 3, and mixture flowing in the riser, equalized in distribution and straightened as described, has little or no tendency to flow more to one cylinder than to another. The

branch conduits ofthe manifold being spaced equally around the common mixture-receiving space receive each substantially .an

equal portion of the mixture. Thus it is possible to operate a multi-cylinder engine charged-from a common carburetor on cold mixtures at high efliciency, because substantially equal distribution to the several cylinders is afforded. 1 i

While specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not the intention to limit the protection asked to those embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A device for distributing fuel mixture from a source of supply to the several cylinder intake ports of a multicylinder internalcombustion engine, comprising in combination, a manifold having a plurality of conduits symmetrically disposed about a mixture-receiving'space; a riser connecting the source of fuel mixture with said mixturereceiving space; straighteners provided in the riser for at leasta portion of its length and afiording a plurality of straight passageways adapted to deliver, under normal operating conditions, all of the fuel mixture passing through the riser in a straight, unobstructed I flow to the mixture-receiving space; and an equalizer ring in the riser located anterior to at. least a portion of the straighteners, said ring being adapted to obstruct the flow of fuel mixture along the wall of the riser and to direct it toward the center .thereof.

2. A device for distributing fuel mixture from a source of supply to the several cylinder intake ports of a multicylinder internalcombustion engine, comprising in combination, a manifold having a plurality of conduits symmetrically disposed about a mixture-receiving space; a riser connecting the source of fuel mixture supply with said mixture-receiving space; a pair of straightener units provided in spaced relation in the riser and atiordlnig'a plurality of straight passageways adapted to deliver, under normal operating conditions, the fuel mixture passing through the riser' in a straight, unobstructed flow to the mixture-receiving space; and an equalizer ring disposed within the riser between the straightener units. H

3. A device for distributing fuel mixture from a source of supply to the several cylin der intake ports of a multicylinder internalcombustion engine, comprising in combination, a manifold having a plurality of conduits symmetrically disposed about a mixture-receiving space; a riser connecting the mixture receiving space with a source of fuel mixture from which a mixture of air and liquid fuel particles is delivered to the riser in a turbulent condition and straightening elements in the riser providing a plurality of straight passageways through which the fuel mixture passes, said passage-ways causing all the fuel mixture flowing through the riser to travel in straight unobstructed paths to the mixture receiving space under normal operating conditions, to secure even distribution of the fuel particles in the mixture.

, 4. A device for distributing atomized fuel I mixture from a source of supply to the several cylinder intake ports ofa multicylinder internalrombustion engine, comprising in combination, a manifold having a plurality of conduits symmetrically disposed about a mixture-receiving space having a flat surface; a riser connecting the mixturea'cceiving space with a source of fuel mixture from which a mixture of air and liquid fuel particles is delivered to the riser in a turbulent condition; and straightening elements in the riser extending in a direction perpendicular to the flat surface of the mixture-receiving space, and providing a plurality of straight passageways through which thefuel mixture passes, said passageways causing all the fuel mixture flowing through the riser to travel in straightunobstructed paths to the mixture receiving space under normal operating conditions in. a direction normal to the said flat surface, to secure even distribution of the fuel particles in the mixture.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

' HORACE 7W. ASIRE. 

